Subscription Databases and E-books
Ancestry Library (in-library use only)
a comprehensive online source of information for conducting genealogical and local history research. Included in Ancestry are the digitized images of the U.S. Federal Census from 1790 forward, the US and UK Census Images and Indexes, Social Security Death Index (SSDI), Ancestry World Tree and much more. This database is available for use within the library only.
Dictionary of American Family Names
Contains more than 70,000 of the most commonly occurring surnames in the United States, giving their comparative frequencies, linguistic and historical explanations, selected associated forenames, and occasional genealogical notes.
Heritage Quest Online
A unique, growing collection of research materials for tracing family history and American culture. Included are ProQuest's Genealogy & Local History Collection, Complete U.S. Federal Census from 1790-1930, PERSI™ - The Periodical Source Index, Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application Files and more
New York Times (1850-2005)
A unique full-image archive that brings you the entire historical run of The New York Times since 1850. It offers complete coverage from 1850-2005, delivering every page of every issue from cover to cover, with full-page and article images in downloadable PDF.
Oxford Reference Online
In Oxford Reference Online you will find a wealth of facts, figures, definitions, and translations from 170+ Oxford reference titles, including The Oxford Companion to Local and Family History and The Oxford Dictionary of Local and Family History.
San Jose Mercury News (Current and Historical)
Search this local daily newspaper for full text articles. Find articles from 1985 to current or 1886-1922. Newspaper issues provide unique coverage of local and regional news, including companies, politics, sports, industries, cultural activities, and people in the community.

Websites Selected by Librarians
Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet
Over 50,100 links that have been categorized and cross-referenced in over 120 categories.  Includes the Social Security Death Index, RootsWeb, and World Connect Project. This is a great place to begin your genealogy search.
WorldGenWeb Project
Volunteer genealogical organization dedicated to the free access of genealogical information by anyone in the world. The project is divided into 15 world regions; then individual countries are divided by provinces, states, or counties.  This includes USGenWeb Project, California USGenWeb Project, and Santa Clara County GenWeb Project.
FamilySearch
The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints has put its extensive family history database online. There is access to the Ancestral File, the International Genealogical Index, and the Family History Catalog. Visit this site to find and share family history information.
Vital Records Information - United States
This site contains information about where to write for birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates from each state, territory, and county of the United States.

Local Genealogy Libraries
Santa Clara County Historical and Genealogical Society
Includes information about the society and a surname index to their files on early settlers of Santa Clara County.
Santa Clara Family History Center
Operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints as a branch of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.
California Room Database
Index to historical information on San Jose, Santa Clara County, and California located in the San Jose Public Library’s California Room.
Sutro Library
Branch of the California State Library with a large genealogy and family history resource collection. Its catalog is included in the California State Library Catalog
National Archives & Records Administration (Pacific Region)
Provides historical government records and resources.